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"Indian Outlaw"
Single by Tim McGraw
from the album Not a Moment Too Soon
Released	January 22, 1994
Format	CD single
Recorded	1994
Genre	Country
Length	3:02
Label	Curb
Writer(s)	Tommy Barnes Jumpin' Gene Simmons John D. Loudermilk
Producer	Byron Gallimore James Stroud
Certification	Gold (RIAA)
Tim McGraw singles chronology
"Two-Steppin' Mind" (1993) "Indian Outlaw" (1994) "Don't Take the Girl" (1994)

"Indian Outlaw" is a 1994 single by country music artist Tim McGraw. The first single from his 1994 album Not a Moment Too Soon, it was his first Top 40 country hit , and his fourth single overall. It peaked at #8 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts, and #15 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song was considered controversial at the time, due to its stereotypical portrayal of Native Americans;^[1][2] as a result, some radio stations refused to play it.^[3]

Content

The song is an up-tempo set in minor key, backed by tom-tom drums and fiddle. The narrator describes himself as a rebellious American Indian character, "half Cherokee and Choctaw". He describes, among other things, his pursuit of a Chippewa lover.

In 1994, a video of the song was commercially released. The video also featured a dance mix of the song, as well as an instructional dance video.^[4]

An episode of the CMT show "Controversy" featured the song.^[1]

Music video

There were two versions of the video released. One was the regular version of the song, and the other was an edited dance mix. Both were directed by Sherman Halsey. This is the first music video of Tim McGraw's to be directed by Sherman Halsey, who would also direct almost all of his later videos.

Chart performance

References